


I'll Make Hats

by Woody7066



Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: F/F, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-27
Updated: 2017-10-28
Packaged: 2019-01-23 20:55:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,135
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12516388
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Woody7066/pseuds/Woody7066
Summary: "I'm going to be here when you wake up, OK? And we're gonna do all of our sorries then, OK? We're gonna have a big old sorry party and I'll make hats." ~ Waverly Earp, Season 2, Episode 10, "I See a Darkness."A three-part WayHaught fic based around the idea of a "sorry party."





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> First fic ever (for any fandom) so any and all constructive criticism is very welcome. All typos and canon mistakes are my own.

Waverly sat on the porch at the homestead, alone, watching the morning fog slowly melt away. She burrowed into the quilt she’d brought outside and cradled her coffee mug on her hands, inhaling the sweet aroma.

Nicole came out onto the porch. She was dressed for work. Waverly had snuck downstairs while Nicole was in the shower. Nicole gestured with her travel mug. “Thanks for making coffee.”  

Waverly sat her mug down on the rail and tilted her head, beckoning Nicole to join her.  She did, giving Waverly a soft kiss on the temple as she sat down. “Just a few minutes. Nedley comes back to work today. I don't want to be late.” Nicole put her arm around Waverly, who leaned over and nuzzled against into her neck.

It had been nearly two weeks since Alice was born. Waverly had barely left Wynonna’s immediate orbit since, much to her older sister’s annoyance. Wynonna still hadn't talked about Alice much, but Waverly wanted to be there if and when she was ready. Despite the lingering return of the demon Clootie and the ever-present threat of revenants, Dolls had insisted that Wynonna take some time off, so she and Waverly were strictly on-call for the moment. Dolls had even locked up the old Black Badge office in the police station so Wynonna couldn’t go into work. Not even Waverly knew where the guys were working at the moment. She didn’t mind being left out for now. Her immediate concern was her sister. But she  _ was _ starting to feel a little restless.

Babysitting Wynonna left little time for Waverly to see her girlfriend, but Nicole had not uttered a word of protest. When they did see each other, it was usually at the homestead. Last night, Nicole brought dinner over after her shift, but not long after, Wynonna suggested they all hit a bar. Nicole was too tired to join them but promised Waverly she would stay over. And when Waverly finally slipped into bed around midnight, Nicole was where she said she would be.

“I wish you had woken me up when you got home last night.”

“I was exhausted, and you were fast asleep.” Waverly smiled, recalling how Nicole’s phone was lying next to her head on her pillow when Waverly came to bed, which explained why she had failed to respond to Waverly’s last text. “You’re adorable when you drool, by the way.”

“You’re adorable when you snore,” Nicole replied with a deadpan tone as she pulled Waverly closer.

“Are we still on for tonight? Your place?” Waverly asked. Doc had finally convinced Waverly to take a night off from Wynonna-sitting. He, Dolls, and Jeremy were coming over for some poker.

“That’s the plan. My shift is done at 5. Want me to come pick you up after? Say 6?”

“I thought I’d meet you over there. I'll bring dinner.”

“Works for me," Nicole replied. Okay, I need to get going,” she added as she rose from the bench. She bent over and gave Waverly a quick kiss and left. Nicole was just pulling out of the driveway in her police cruiser when the front door creaked, announcing Wynonna’s presence. She joined Waverly on the bench.  

“So are you gonna to tell me why I had to get up so early?”

“We’re going on a road trip,” Waverly replied vaguely.

“There’d better be donuts.”

“How about cinnamon rolls?”

xxxxx

When Nicole pulled into her driveway that evening, she saw Waverly sitting at the top of steps on her front porch. Nicole parked her cruiser next to Waverly’s Jeep and walked up to the house. She noticed there was a casserole dish sitting next to Waverly, covered in foil.

“You didn’t have to wait outside. I gave you that key for a reason.” 

Nicole had offered Waverly a key, rather sheepishly, a few weeks ago. She worried it was a little too soon, but it went over better than she had expected. That night they had done things -- well more precisely, Waverly had done things to Nicole -- that even the thought of could still make her blush.

“I know, but it’s such a pretty view,” Waverly replied. She picked up the dish and stood as Nicole climbed up the stairs. When she reached the top, Waverly tugged at Nicole’s belt with her free hand, pulling her close and whispering, “the landscape isn’t half-bad either.” Then she rose up on her tiptoes and gave Nicole a kiss. 

Nicole was still sometimes taken aback by Waverly’s flirtatious comments, disbelief lingering that she was the person on the receiving end. When Nicole introduced herself to Waverly that fateful morning at Shorty’s,  _ she _ had been the brazen one, throwing the younger girl off kilter with her barely disguised interest. It felt like a risk worth taking for such a beautiful girl. But Nicole never could have predicted the depth of feeling she would develop for Waverly, or the fact that Waverly seemed to feel the same way. It was both exhilarating and terrifying. 

“What’s for dinner,” Nicole asked as she walked over to the door.

“Lasagna.”  

Nicole hummed approvingly as she held the door open for Waverly.

Once inside, Nicole immediately realized the casserole dish had been part of a ruse. Waverly had, in fact, used her key, as evidenced by the streamers and balloons strewn about her living room. A homemade “I'm sorry” banner hung above the entrance to the kitchen. Nicole looked over at Waverly and laughed out loud -- Waverly was wearing a yellow party hat on which she had written “Sorry.” She was holding another one in her hand.

“I told you I’d make hats,” she said with a sheepish grin.

xxxxx

While Nicole went upstairs to shower and change, Waverly got dinner ready and set the table. Then she snuggled on the couch with Calamity Jane and flipped through some catalogs while she waited for Nicole.

“Smells amazing,” Nicole said as she descended the stairs. The sight of Waverly causally curled up on her couch and the smell of a home cooked meal felt like a window into what their future could be if they stopped finding themselves in constant peril. But Nicole knew what she’d signed up for. She could’ve bailed after she learned about the Earp curse and all it entailed. Instead, she had doubled down because Nicole knew in her heart that if they could make it through all this crazy together, no one would ever make her happier than Waverly Earp.

Waverly noticed Nicole was wearing the grey henley she liked - the one that was just tight enough to hug Nicole’s curves and just loose enough that Waverly could get an eyeful when Nicole bent over. (It helped that Nicole seemed unable or unwilling to button any shirt up past a certain point, not that Waverly was complaining.) And as if on cue, Nicole leaned over to give Waverly a kiss, exposing her lovely decolletage. Waverly grabbed the front of Nicole’s shirt and deepened the kiss. Nicole shifted so she was half-standing, half-kneeling on the couch. Waverly tossed her catalog aside and unceremoniously shooed Calamity away as she leaned back against the armrest. Nicole accepted her invitation and fully committed her weight to the couch, positioning herself between Waverly’s legs. She felt a familiar pressure as Waverly wrapped her legs around her hips. Nicole knew she was about to lose herself in this moment so she sat up on her knees and asked.

“The lasagna?”

Waverly almost laughed out loud. Of course Nicole would worry about the lasagna. (It was her favorite.) Waverly took advantage of Nicole’s temporary state of distraction and pushed her back into a sitting position. Then she sat on Nicole’s lap, wrapping her legs around her girlfriend’s waist. Waverly punctuated Nicole’s neck with kisses and murmured, “Warming in the oven on low. We’re fine. We’ve got time.” 

Her trail of kisses ventured south down the open seam of Nicole’s shirt, ending at the sensitive area between her breasts. Nicole’s ran a hand up Waverly’s thigh and under her skirt, and Waverly thought she might come from the sheer anticipation of Nicole’s touch.

There was an edge to everything that followed, a little hint of desperation.Their clothes were shed rapidly and without ceremony. Their kisses were a little ragged, their touches a little rough. They hadn’t been together in weeks, not in this way. But it was more than the time apart, it was everything they had endured to get them back to this point. And Waverly knew she would soon lob a grenade between them. If things went sideways later, this could be her last chance to be with Nicole. It was selfish, maybe a little wrong, but she wanted Nicole too much to stop herself. 

It wasn’t long before they were splayed on the rug, naked and panting and utterly spent. (The couch had been quickly abandoned, being insufficient for what either of them had had in mind.) After a few minutes of silence, Nicole joked, “I guess there’s one advantage to not having a coffee table in the middle of this rug.”

Waverly rolled over and gave her a kiss, then stood up. “I’ll be right back. Don’t move.” She grabbed the throw blanket from the armchair and disappeared into the kitchen. She turned off the oven and retrieved the lasagna, setting it atop the stove to cool. When she returned to the living room, Nicole was still on the floor, but she was sitting up, leaning against the couch with a quilt draped over her.

“I told you not to move,” Waverly cooed as sat down next to Nicole and leaned against her shoulder. She slipped a hand under the quilt and was running a hand over Nicole’s abdomen when her stomach let out a epic growl. They both giggled.

“Not exactly what I was going for, but I can take a hint,” Waverly said with a wink. “Dinner?”

“Yes, please.”

They got dressed and settled in at the table. Nicole opened a bottle of red wine and poured them each a glass while Waverly dished up the lasagna and salad. They ate in near silence, sitting in their usual positions next to each other at the small table. Waverly savored every bite, every sip, and every second of the meal.

As they were cleaning up the kitchen after dinner, Waverly knew it was time to set her plan in motion before she lost her nerve. “So I know it seems silly, but I think we should have do the ‘sorry party’ thing.” 

Nicole was standing at the sink, rinsing the spatula. She switched off the water and turned to face Waverly, who was leaning back against the counter next to her. 

Waverly added, “I know we’ve talked about a lot of this stuff already, but I feel like we should get all our sorries out at once. I think it might be cathartic.”

“Do we have to wear the hats?”

Waverly laughed. “No.” She sat down at the table, and Nicole joined her.

Waverly explained, “What if we go back and forth giving simple declarative statements of apology?” Nicole pursed her lips, looking skeptical. Waverly continued, “For example, I might start by saying ‘I’m sorry for not talking to you when I knew something was wrong because of the goo,’ and then you go.”

Nicole got the idea. She took a moment to decide where to start and opted for the obvious.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you when your DNA results arrived.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t believe you about Tucker.”

“I’m sorry I  _ opened _ the DNA results.”

“I’m sorry I kept you out of Black Badge.”

“I”m sorry how I reacted when you did that.”

“I”m sorry for that nasty text.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you that I was married.”

“I’m sorry I kissed Rosita.”

“I’m --.”  Nicole eyes widened.  “Wait, what?”

Waverly was glad it was out in the open, but now the uncertainty about what would happen next, what Nicole would say or do, immediately filled her with dread.

“You kissed Rosita?” Nicole spat out.

“Yes,” Waverly replied as she lowered her eyes.

A spark of anger propelled Nicole to stand up. Her mind started racing. She knew she needed more information before her imagination got the better of her. She gripped the back of the chair she’d been sitting in and looked over at Waverly, who was fidgeting with her own hands.

“It was so --”

Nicole held up a hand, imploring Waverly to give her a little more time. She took deep breaths as she walked over to the bar in the living room and grabbed the bottle of whiskey she kept in the house for Waverly. Then she plucked two glasses out of the cabinet and filled each with a generous, three-finger pour. Nicole took a sip of hers and then sat back down, across from Waverly this time. 

Waverly had tracked all of Nicole’s movements silently. As Nicole slid into a chair across from her, Waverly slowly reached for her glass and tried to remember all the things she had planned to say.

Nicole finally met her gaze. “Tell me.”

Waverly recounted the whole sordid tale from start to finish. It sounded even worse when she said described it out loud -- the hot tub, the bikinis, the champagne, the text to Nicole, and the fact that Waverly had initiated the kiss. 

After Waverly laid out the essential facts, Nicole said nothing. Waverly felt compelled to fill the silence. 

“Nicole, I regretted it immediately -- Rosita did too. And despite what she tried to do with Alice,” Waverly choked up a little just thinking about what almost happened, “Rosita did save me from Tucker that night. Then she convinced me to go to your house the next morning to make up with you. I think I was just -- I don’t know -- a little drunk, a little mad, and a lot stupid. And I know that doesn’t excuse it at all. I majorly fucked up, Nicole. I’m so sorry I did it and that I didn’t tell you sooner.”

Waverly had already been tearing up, and now the tears started to stream down her face. She swallowed a sob and continued, “And I can’t help but think that if I hadn’t been so stubborn and called you back instead of going with Rosita to that spa, we would have been together that night and you wouldn’t have been poisoned by the widow and almost died and . . .”

The sight of Waverly crying was Nicole’s kryptonite. Despite the anger, fear, and confusion that was coursing through her body, she went around to where Waverly was sitting, knelt down, and took Waverly in her arms.

As Waverly cried silently, Nicole tried to gather her thoughts. Infidelity, no matter how minor, was always a punch to the gut. And to add insult to injury, Waverly’s transgression was with Rosita, of all people (or revenants, as it turned out). This is not what Nicole had in mind when she encouraged Waverly to give the newcomer a chance.

She also thought about her own complicity in this chain of events -- her decision to keep the DNA results from Waverly was why they were fighting in the first place. But she knew a relationship shouldn’t have a ledger -- with each person’s mistakes tracked against the other’s and weighed accordingly. So even though Nicole had messed up, it didn’t justify Waverly kissing another woman, and then keeping it a secret for weeks. And yet, Nicole’s immediate instinct was that this was something she could forgive. She just had to be certain. Empty forgiveness would only lead to more problems later.

Nicole stood, pulling Waverly up with her. Waverly looked up at her and said tearily, “I’m so sorry.” She buried her head in Nicole’s chest and murmured. “I hurt you, and you’re the one comforting me.”

Nicole couldn’t help herself and replied, “Well I think you’ve been dating too many shitheads.”

Waverly laughed and looked back up up at her. “Are we still dating?”

“Yes.”

“Yeah?” 

“But we have some things to talk about.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All the talking promised at the end of Chapter 2. Angst-y but hopeful!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I split the second part in two so now this fic with have 3 chapters. I'll post the much more light-hearted (and sorta, maybe sexy) Chapter 3 tomorrow morning. Thanks for reading!

After Waverly composed herself, Nicole suggested they move to the couch. But she purposefully sat as far from Waverly as possible. She needed physical distance to process everything. Waverly’s touch was too distracting. 

Nicole started with a slew of follow up questions about that night at the spa. Having the complete picture shone new light on the “nasty text.” In the moment, Nicole had suspected (correctly, it turned out) that Waverly was a little drunk when she sent it, but that didn’t make the “control freak” accusation any easier to shake. A very sober Waverly had implied something similar when they fought at the station after Tucker’s body was found. And then there was what Wynonna had said . . .

Nicole thought she had been patient with Waverly, letting her set the pace of their relationship. And she had meant what she’d said that day in her cruiser -- she would never ask Waverly to be someone she’s not. But so much had happened since that moment, both between them and around them. Falling hard and fast for someone wasn’t a foreign concept to Nicole, but she knew what she had with Waverly was different, more profound. That realization had shaken her to the core, replacing her usual easy confidence with insecurity and doubt.

As these thoughts bounced around in her head, Nicole asked uneasily, “Did you, do you, think I’m trying to control you?”

“No,” Waverly said definitively. “Ugh, that was an awful thing to say. I was horrible to you that whole day.” She put her head in her hands. “I was angry and lashing out. I’m sorry.” Waverly thought about stopping there but knew this discussion required complete honesty. “I _do_ think you can be a little over-protective.”

“Like how you protected me from Black Badge?” The rejoinder had come out sharper than Nicole had intended so she added quickly, “I know why you did that, it just hurt being left out.”

“I understand,” Waverly replied softly, thinking back to her own struggle to be included in Black Badge. “And it’s not just you. My whole life, people have been trying to keep me out of harm’s way. But there’s no avoiding it now.”

“And there’s no avoiding that I’m a cop, Waverly.” Nicole was still smarting a bit. She took a deep breath before continuing in a more measured tone, “Protecting others is what I do, it’s all I’ve ever wanted to do. It’s who I am.” She tapped her chest with her fist, emphasizing the point. “There are demons and revenants and creepy stalkers lurking around every corner, threatening the life of the person I care about most in the world. I can’t just turn that part of me off with a switch.”

“And I don’t expect you to. I love how brave and compassionate you are,” Waverly pleaded. “It’s just, look, I may not have a magic gun or be a police officer, but you and Wynonna and just about everyone else in this town need to get it through your thick skulls that I’m not entirely helpless.”

Nicole smiled. “You are getting pretty good with those sticks.”

“Not good enough,” Waverly replied bitterly, her eyes drifting as she thought back to her failed attempt to protect Nicole from the widow. “But I’m working on it.” Waverly had been keeping up with her training, working on her own or sparring with Wynonna when she was sober enough. It was a good way to stay sharp and release some anger and frustration.

There was a lingering silence. Nicole knew there was more to the “control” issue and felt she was the one who needed to start that conversation. “I owe you an explanation about the DNA results.” Waverly looked back at her expectantly. Nicole took a sip of liquid courage before continuing. 

“You had trusted me with this secret, this worry about not being an Earp. Then I pushed you to pursue answers without considering that that you might not like what you found. And when the results showed up at the station, I was already feeling a little insecure about us so I panicked. I still can’t believe I opened that envelope. It was such a violation. You had every right to be angry.”

Waverly said nothing for a moment, just stared out into the room and nodded her head. That Wynonna suspected Waverly might not be an actual Earp but still considered her one didn’t retroactively negate the hurt Waverly had felt when she found the envelope in Nicole’s purse. The sting of Nicole’s betrayal had been hard enough, but having to process the results by herself had been devastating. She told Nicole as much, recounting that moment by the side of the pond when she read the results alone and what Bobo later said to her about being kin.

As Waverly talked, Nicole had scooted close enough to take one of Waverly’s hands in her own. When she sensed Waverly was done, she said quietly, “Please believe me when I say I’ve never regretted anything more. I would --”

But Waverly interjected, “Anything?” She broke out into a smile. “What about that whole quickie marriage in Vegas?”

Now _this_ was something they had already talked about. Nicole had explained about the separation that preceded her move to Purgatory, how she had been unsuccessfully pushing Shae to finalize the divorce for months, efforts that were redoubled once she met Waverly, and how Shae had finally relented just before their fight with the widow. For her part, Waverly was still a little mystified how calm-and-collected Nicole could end up getting hitched to someone she barely knew, but who was she to question the power of Britney Spears?

Nicole laughed. It felt nice to laugh. “Not gonna live that one done for a while, eh?”

Much to her chagrin, Nicole’s marriage to Shae had already entered the category of things everyone in the group got to joke about. Wynonna, of course, was the primary offender, a seemingly endless supply of Britney and Vegas jokes at her disposal. But even Jeremy -- Jeremy! -- had gotten into the act. He swore he wasn’t humming “Baby One More Time” the other day at the coffee shop on purpose, but Nicole wasn’t buying it.

Nicole was physically and emotionally spent, and this seemed like a nice high note to end on. She suggested they get some sleep. Waverly was relieved, not because she was tired (though she was), but because it meant Nicole wanted her to stay. They went upstairs and got ready for bed.

As she brushed her teeth, Nicole wondered whether it was a good idea to have Waverly stay over, whether Waverly’s physical presence was clouding her judgment. But sending her home didn’t feel right either. Nicole was still uncertain about her choice when she returned from the bathroom. Waverly was sitting in bed, propped up by a pillow, arranging one of the extra blankets Nicole kept at the ready for when Waverly spent the night. Nicole couldn’t help but smile upon noticing that Waverly was wearing one of her well-worn policy academy t-shirts. She turned off the overhead light, leaving the bedside lamp to illuminate the room.

“I’ve been looking for that shirt,” Nicole said as she slid under the covers.

Waverly had nabbed it weeks ago. She liked sleeping in it on nights they weren’t together. “Well in the spirit of the evening, I am sorry I stole your shirt.”

“And I am not sorry you did,” Nicole replied, then she leaned over and gave Waverly a quick peck on the lips. “You look adorable.” 

The kiss was a chaste gesture, but one that made Waverly feel like she had almost pushed the proverbial rock to the top of the hill. But something Nicole said earlier made Waverly feel like she had let something on the table. Given the hour, Waverly decided to be direct. 

“Before when you were talking about the DNA results, you said at the time you were feeling . . . insecure about us?” Nicole looked pained, so Waverly suggested, “If you’d rather sleep on it and tell me later, that’s fine. But if you want to talk about it now, I’m here.”

Nicole leaned her head back against the wrought-iron headboard and looked up at the ceiling, considering whether to push forward -- and how. She felt like they had reached a good place, that this could wait. But she knew it couldn’t. She took a deep breath, sat back up, and got on with it.

“There were some things you said, that Wynonna said, during the whole ‘goo’ thing that really got under my skin. Even after I found out that you had both been possessed, it was hard not to wonder if there was some truth in what you said. I started to worry a little about where we stood, that maybe I was expecting too much, too soon, and that it was pushing you away. And you were changing too, not just because of the goo, but after as well. The changes weren’t necessarily bad, but I worried about the impact they would have on us, on how you felt about me.”

Waverly knew full well the suggestive power of Mikshun. He had crept into the furthest reaches of her mind for weeks, prodding for weakness, for information -- anything that he could use to break her down. Thinking back, she wondered if he had gone after her relationship with Nicole on purpose, seeking to unlodge an obstacle to his purpose. And maybe that is why the moments she remembered best from that time were those she spent with Nicole -- because they had a purity that Mikshun’s dark power couldn’t invade. 

She had also experienced the flip side of Mikshun. After he moved into Wynonna, he prodded her to call Nicole boring and to taunt Waverly about her own dark secrets. The former hadn’t gotten to Waverly -- she knew Nicole was anything but boring. But the latter had, because she feared Mikshun knew what she had begun to suspect -- that she was half revenant.

Waverly was still trying to figure out how to put all that into words, words that she could say out loud, when Nicole filled the silence.

“When I think about that text and now the kiss, I don’t know, maybe it’s just that you were angry about the test results. But I’m a little scared that maybe there’s more to it, that you have doubts about us, about me, and that you’re not ready for this.” Waverly’s head jerked up, her eyes wide. 

Nicole knew that hadn’t come out quite right, but she pressed on. “I just mean that you’re still figuring out who you are, what you what. I’m not saying I have everything figured out, but I’ve had time to make some of the mistakes that help you get there. Maybe kissing Rosita was a mistake you needed to make, or maybe I’m the mistake. So if you need to be free of this -- of us -- to sort things out, figure out what you want, I think I would understand. I would hate every second of it, but I would understand.”

Nicole couldn’t quite believe she’d said any of that out loud. She hadn’t just offered Waverly an off ramp, she’d practically pushed her down the incline. Fighting back tears, Nicole pulled her legs up and rested her forehead on her knees. Then she forced herself to look over.

Waverly was biting her lip and shaking her head. Finally, she spoke.

“Nicole - no. God, no. You are not a mistake. And I didn’t give up the third seal to save your life so I could break up with you and then fuck around. I know that sounds a little dramatic, but it’s true. I can’t promise you I won’t make mistakes, but I’m done with the kissing-another-girl-in-a-hot-tub kind of mistakes. That was selfish and stupid and I’m so, so, sorry.”

A single tear streamed down Nicole’s face. Waverly raised a hand and wiped it away, leaving her hand on Nicole’s cheek as she continued. “And I don’t need time to figure out what I want. I want _you_ , Nicole. I love _you_.”

“I love you too,” Nicole replied quietly. She leaned back onto her pillow, pulling Waverly with her. Waverly curled into Nicole, who reached over and switched off the lamp. They both fell asleep without another word.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This section was really hard for me to write. There was so much going on last season between these two. I tried to be fair to the grievances of both characters within the confines I chose for this fic (i.e., where things are pretty much resolved in one night). Not sure it could/would/should really play out that way, but it was a fun challenge.
> 
> Again, part 3 posts tomorrow morning. I think it's rather fun.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: If you're expecting full-on smut, sorry to disappoint. Not my forte, but I tried to make this a little sexy. And hopefully funny.

As always, Nicole woke up first, and as usual, Waverly was half strewn across her body. Nicole was lying on her stomach, with one of Waverly’s arms draped over her back and a foot hooked over one of her legs. Nicole had always preferred to have a little of her own space while sleeping, but that wasn’t an option when you were sharing a bed with Waverly Earp, so Nicole had adjusted. Now she never wanted wake up any other way, and after their talk last night, it felt possible she wouldn’t have to.

Twenty minutes later, Waverly stirred. She could tell from Nicole’s breathing that she was already awake. Waverly snuggled closer, gave her a squeeze, and murmured sleepily, “What time is it?”

“Almost nine,” Nicole replied. She rolled so she was facing Waverly, brushing a strand of hair out of her girlfriend’s face.

Waverly’s eyes were still closed when she said, “Then we’ve got enough time.”

Nicole was unaware they had any plans this morning. “Before what?”

Waverly didn’t answer that question. Instead, she opened her eyes and silently asked a question of her own. To make sure nothing was lost in translation, she ran her hand down Nicole’s back and then rested it on her hip bone. Nicole answered immediately, capturing Waverly’s mouth with her own and rolling her onto her back.

The desperation from the night before was replaced with deliberation -- in every kiss, every nip, every tug, every caress. Waverly tensed and squirmed as Nicole slowly worked her way down Waverly’s compact form, lingering on the sensitive area just below her ribcage. When Nicole paired a kiss to Waverly’s abdomen with a light tickle on the back of her knee, a current of pleasure pulsed through her, seeking release. Nicole walked her hand up the inside of Waverly’s thigh but left it tantalizingly close to where Waverly wanted -- needed -- it to be. 

Nicole was not willing to give her that just yet. Instead, she hooked her fingers into the band of Waverly’s underwear, and slid them slowly down her legs. As she did so, Waverly shrugged out of her shirt. Nicole peppered Waverly with kisses as she crawled back up her body, and then kissed her deeply on the mouth as she straddled her hips. Waverly tugged at the hem of Nicole’s tank top. As Nicole sat up and removed it, Waverly untied the drawstring on Nicole’s pajamas shorts, pushing them down as much as she could, and then pulled Nicole back down to her. Nicole nibbled on Waverly’s neck as she wriggled her legs free of the last of the clothing between them. Then she pressed her thigh between Waverly’s legs and felt the slickness of anticipation and want. 

Nicole was just about to address that issue when she gasped as Waverly surprised her with a pinch of her nipple. She looked at Waverly, who met her gaze with a mischievous grin.

“You’re in for it now, Waverly Earp,” Nicole said in a low growl.

“I’m sure hoping to be,” Waverly replied, still smiling. Nicole smiled back then leaned in for a kiss. Instead of being met with Waverly’s lips, Nicole felt a push on her shoulder and suddenly found herself on her back. Waverly’s smile had been replaced by a determined look. She leaned over, nipping Nicole’s earlobe before whispering, “But you first.”

xxxxx

Nicole stepped out of the bathroom to the sweet aroma of frying bacon. As she walked down the hall to her bedroom, she heard an unexpected voice.

“Haught, get your butt down here, we’re starving.”

_Wynonna?_ Then she heard a loud bang followed by a distinctive curse.

“Thunderation!”

_Doc?_

Nicole hurried back to her room, dressed quickly, and then rushed down the stairs. Doc and Dolls were moving her couch back into place, supervised by Wynonna, who was sipping a Bloody Mary. Jeremy was sitting on the ground in the middle of the room, working on . . . something.

“Waverly?” Her girlfriend popped out of the kitchen, her still-wet hair up in a messy bun. She looked adorable in an apron that Nicole didn’t recognize; Waverly must have brought with her. She met Nicole at the bottom of the stairs and greeted her with a quick kiss. 

“Sorry, everyone got here a little earlier than expected,” Waverly said with an apologetic look.

Just ten minutes ago, Waverly was hurriedly taking down the “sorry party” decorations when she heard a knock at the door. She was glad the gang hadn’t arrived even earlier, considering what she and Nicole had just been up to in the shower. 

Nicole was still preoccupied with the scene before her. “Is that a new rug?”

“Yeah, the old one had a blood stain from well, you know, so I got you a new one,” Waverly explained. “And a new coffee table too if Jeremy ever figures out how to put it together.”

Jeremy had heard the dig. “These IKEA directions are not as intuitive as you would think!”

There was a clatter in the kitchen. Waverly sped off in a huff, shouting, “Doc, you’d better not be messing with my grits!” 

Wynonna walked over to Nicole. “You look like you could use a drink,” she remarked as she handed Nicole a Bloody Mary. “Hope you like it spicy.” 

Nicole raised an eyebrow.

“Yeah, I heard it. And gross. Try your damn drink.”

Nicole took a sip. By the amount of alcohol, she knew Wynonna had prepared it. Then she took a closer look at the new rug, which she recognized from the IKEA catalog. It was mostly grey but had asymmetrical stripes in various colors at random intervals. It was little brighter than she would have picked out herself, but it did look good with her other furniture.

“I convinced her to get that one. Waverly wanted to get a bright orange one. It was a bit much.”

Nicole’s eyes widened. “You went to IKEA? On purpose?”

“Well I didn’t actually know we were going there until we pulled into the parking lot, but it wasn’t so bad. Picked up a few things for the homestead. And those cinnamon rolls were tasty. Brought some back with us. Should be in the kitchen.”

Nicole wished she could have been a fly on the wall while Waverly and Wynonna argued about IKEA rugs.

“Well I like it. Thanks.”

Waverly reemerged from the kitchen and joined them. “Now we just got you the same coffee table,” she explained. “I hope that’s okay.”

Nicole pulled Waverly over and kissed her on the temple. “It’s perfect. Thank you.”

“Yeah?” Waverly looked up, and Nicole gave her a proper kiss on the lips.

Wynonna made a gagging noise and went over to help Jeremy, as much as snarky comments were helpful when assembling Swedish furniture. Dolls came through the front door carrying two metal briefcases. He set them down on the couch and beckoned Nicole over. Waverly went back into the kitchen.

“Waverly asked me to put together some security equipment for your house,” Dolls said as he opened the briefcases. They contained small cameras and tablets, all very sleek and expensive looking. 

“This is similar to what have I have installed at my apartment -- the cameras have motion sensors, infrared, all the good stuff. We would set them up so you have full video coverage of the exterior and then coverage of a few key locations inside -- by the front and back door, maybe the stairs and the upstairs hallway too. You could control the system via your phone or the removable tablets we would mount on each floor. We can even put something on Calamity Jane’s collar so she doesn’t trigger the motion sensors.”

Nicole chuckled. “Yeah, okay. Probably a good idea.”

“Excellent. Jeremy and I can install it all after brunch if that works for you.”

“Sure. Thank you.” 

Nicole had always felt like she had a good deal in common with Dolls, both being law enforcement and outsiders to Purgatory, but his icy demeanor had only recently thawed. When he approached her a few weeks ago about helping with Bulshar, she knew that she had finally broken through.

“And thank you for what you did when I was poisoned, helping test the antidote and all. Waverly only recently told me about that and how you encouraged her to make the deal with the witch. I didn’t know the whole story.”

She extended her hand, and he gave it a firm shake. 

“Clootie was coming back one way or another, and we need your help put him back where he belongs. You’re an asset, Agent Haught.”

Nicole knew that BBD had abandoned Dolls and his team so calling her “Agent” didn’t change anything officially, but it felt nice to hear him say it nonetheless.

“Food’s ready!” Waverly shouted from the kitchen.

xxxxx

After brunch, Waverly tried to help with the dishes but Doc and Nicole shooed her out out of the kitchen. Dolls and Jeremy were working on the security system, so Waverly went looking for Wynonna and found her on the front porch. Her older sister was sitting in one of the chairs, her feet propped up on the porch rail. She was working on at least her third Bloody Mary.

Waverly leaned on one of the posts and took in the view.

“So you told Nicole about Rosita?” 

“Yeah, last night.”

“Must have gone okay then.”

“Well it was awful and then it wasn’t. I’m not sure we’re back to where we were, but maybe where we were wasn’t where we needed to be. I don’t know. I just know she’s wonderful, and I don’t deserve her.”

“Well you may have fucked up, but I call bullshit on that last part. You deserve someone great -- and don’t you dare tell her I said this -- but Haught’s pretty great. Can’t hold her liquor for shit, but yeah, pretty great.”

Waverly smiled. 

“And baby girl --” Waverly glanced over. Wynonna was holding the celery stalk from her Bloody Mary like a cigar. She took a pretend puff, and Waverly laughed. Wynonna continued, “This family only has room for one romantic fuck-up, and I’ve already called dibs so No. More. Fucking. Up.” She stabbed at the air with the celery for emphasis.

Waverly put up her hands in mock surrender. 

xxxxx

While Dolls and Jeremy finished installing the security system, the rest of the party played a rather heated game of Monopoly. It started poorly when Wynonna and Doc argued over who got to be the revolver and got progressively worse after that, with accusations of collusion on property exchanges and embezzlement from the bank. The game ended abruptly when Wynonna stormed out of the house after landing on Park Place, which had two hotels on it and was owned by Doc. Waverly chased after her sister while Nicole put away the game and then endured a very detailed explanation from Jeremy on how to use her new security system.

Waverly left her sister pouting by the cars when she saw the guys emerge from the house. Doc had swiped Wynonna’s keys earlier in the afternoon and dangled them mockingly as he strutted toward the driver’s side of the Wynonna’s truck. Waverly was glad that she would not be on the receiving end of what was coming his way on the ride back to the homestead.

When Waverly reentered the house, Nicole was laying on her side on the couch, fiddling with one of the security system tablets. Calamity Jane was curled up behind her bent knees. Waverly noticed two cups of tea steeping on the coffee table.

“Room for one more?” Waverly asked.

Nicole set the tablet on the floor, and scooted back into the couch. “Always,” she replied, as she patted the space in front of her.

Waverly burrowed into the offered cocoon. Nicole grabbed the quilt off the back of the couch and tossed it over them, and then pulled Waverly close with a reassuring grip. She nuzzled into the back of Waverly head and let out a contented sigh.

“Sorry I hijacked your day off,” Waverly said quietly.

“You’re a little late,” Nicole whispered. “The sorry party was last night. You’ll have to wait for the next one.” Waverly giggled, then Nicole added, “But seriously, it was great. Thank you.”

They must have both nodded off for a bit because when Nicole was awakened by the buzz of her phone, it was starting to get dark. Trying not to disturb Waverly, Nicole slipped a hand into her back pocket and pulled out her phone. She had a text. 

Nicole read it twice and then gave her girlfriend a little shake. “Waves, we gotta get up.” As Waverly rubbed her eyes, Nicole maneuvered out from behind her. She knelt down and gave Waverly a kiss on the cheek, then dropped her phone on the couch. “Read this.”

Waverly blearily watched Nicole rush upstairs and then grabbed the phone.

> [Dolls]: Got a tip from Nedley - possible revenant activity near Ghost Lake. Report to the BBD office ASAP.

Waverly jumped up, grabbed her purse, and went over to put on her boots and coat. As she was checking her own phone -- she’d received the same text from Dolls -- Nicole came bounding down the stairs in her police uniform. When she reached the bottom, she sat on the bench and laced up her work boots. 

“Ready to go?” Nicole asked, glancing up at Waverly.

“Not just yet,” Waverly said with a smirk as she pulled Nicole up off the bench. Then she grabbed the front of Nicole’s uniform top and closed the zipper a couple inches. “Okay there, otherwise I won’t be able to concentrate.” She gave Nicole a quick kiss then walked toward the door. 

Nicole chuckled as she shrugged into her uniform jacket. She activated the new alarm, and then they walked out to Nicole’s cruiser. As Nicole started the car, Waverly looked wistfully back at the house. She checked her watch and said vaguely, “We didn’t even make it 24 hours.”

Nicole knew what she meant. “There’s always tomorrow,” she replied earnestly as she put the car in gear. Then reached out and took Waverly’s hand.

“Tomorrow,” Waverly repeated with a smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to all for reading. This was fun.

**Author's Note:**

> Endnote 1: I'm working on a longer AU fic but thought it would be better to start with the shorter fic and get some feedback first. Thanks in advance!
> 
> Endnote 2: Part 2 coming tomorrow.
> 
> Endnote 3: I had Katherine Barrell's answer regarding Nicole's reaction to finding out about the kiss in the back of my mind as I wrote. Not exactly canon, but Emily Andras did seem to like her answer. (I believe this exchange occurred at DragonCon.)


End file.
